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JOSEPH'P. WHITE, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARTRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l6,220, dated January 16,1877; application filed September 20, 1875.

To all whom at may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. WHITE, of

Savannah, in the county of Ohatham and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridges, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to that class of cartridges for breech-loading fire-arms in which an ordinary percussion-cap is employed to ignite the charge, its object being to adapt indiscriminately any of the various-sized caps in the market to be used with such cartridges.

The invention consists in a cartridge formed of any material for a breech-loading fire-arm, having formed at the head of the same a recess, a nipple or anvil being placed, either solid or loose, in the recess, of such size as to receive the smallest of the different sizes of percussion-caps in the market, which are held thereon by means of a perforated cap adapted to'fit in the recess and form a gas tight cover to the same, as herein set forth and illustrated.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of my cartridge; Fig. 2, a rear view of the same; and Fig. 3 representsdetached views of the percussion-caps, and the cap by which they are confined upon the nipple.

The letter A represents the shell, constructed, as usual, of metal, or other material of sufficient flexibility to bind against the bore of the gun \vhenthe discharge takes place, and prevent the escape of the gases resulting from the combustion of the powder. To the rear of the shell is attached or formed thereon a head, B, having an inwardly-projecting recess, O, in which is placed a nipple or anvil, D, for the reception of the cap. Said anvil or nipple may be of such size as to receive the G. D. caps, which are the smallest in the market, and the recess 0 may be of sufificient diameter to hold the larger varieties of caps. E represents a small cover, adapted to fit closely in the recess 0 and bind against its walls, in such manner as to hold securely in place. The shell of said cover is constructed, like the cartridge-shell, of sutficient flexibility to expand when the discharge takes place, and

bind against the walls of the recess 0, to prevent the escape of gas. In the head of said cover E is formed an aperture, through which the hammer can strike. This aperture may be of a size smaller than the head of the smallest percussion-caps, and when the cover E is in place it falls directly to the rear of the nipple or anvil D, in order that when the discharge takes place the head of the cap will bind against it and close it, to prevent the escape of gas through the aperture. At each side of the anvil or nipple an aperture, G, is formed, through which the fire is communicated to the charge; or the fire may be communicated in any suitable way. The chamber of recess 0 is made in diameter sufficientl y large to receive the largest size cap, and the nipple is small enough to accommodate the smallest size of caps. The cover E impinges upon the head of any cap which may he placed on the nipple, however loosely it may fit around it. By this construction any of the caps in the market may be used, however large or small they may be. This is a great advantage in remote districts, where the usual form of these shells is useless for want of the particular size of caps required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

A cartridge-case having a perforated recess in the head thereof, of sufficient diameter for the largest size of caps, provided with a nipple to receive the smallest size of caps on it, in combination with a hollow perforated cover of elastic metal, adapted to fit into said recess, to retain the cap in place and form a gas-tight joint to the recess, substantially as and for the purpose described.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. WHITE.

Witnesses: THOS. D. HARRISON, J. J. ABRAMS. 

